Plastic containers are well known and have been used in a variety of application for a number of years. One type of plastic container that is commonly used is a large box-like container. Improvements to design and manufacture of these containers have been the subject of a number of improvements by manufacturers.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,910 issued to Hamm on Dec. 15, 1992 shows a box-like container with a collapsible pour spout. The pour spout of this invention has a shoulder which is made of a plurality of concentric ridges and intervening webs. However, the ridges and webs are discontinuous. This design however cannot be easily adapted for use in a production line. There is clearly no place for filler tracks to engage the container and carry it through a production line.
Some prior art containers have attempted to address the above problem with regard to a production line by welding a collar to the pour spout. These containers have four components, namely a high density neck, a low density collar, a high density flange and a container or bag. The flange and neck are made from an injection molded high density polyethylene. The low density collar is pressure welded between the two high density components namely the neck and flange. The high density flange and neck is produced in a vacuum formed process. Thereafter the neck is secured to the bag or container.
There are a number of disadvantages of this container which is made of four components. Specifically, the components do not have similar melt or stretch ratios, that is, the high density components have different molecular weight from the low density molecular weight of the bag. Therefore, there is a tendency to have differentials on cooling or heating, causing microscopic fissures that contribute to leaking particularly with high surface tension fluids. Another disadvantage of the four component container is the tendency for the weld between the flange and the bag to be unreliable owing to the fact that they are two dissimilar pieces joined mechanically. This has led to the need to create a gasket film on the lip of the neck made form toluene, to compensate for possible fissures or hairline cracks created by the stretching and/or cooling or heating differentials between the two dissimilar polyolefins. Another disadvantage is that the container or bag is manufactured by heat welding of two vacuum formed halves whereby there may be possible inaccuracies in bonding or plastic distribution and therefore there may be possible further hairline cracks.
Other prior art containers such as those shown in related U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,950,029 issued to Winstead on Aug. 23, 1960, 2,954,901 issued to Winstead on Oct. 4, 1960, and 3,082,927 issued to Winstead on Mar. 26, 1963 are generally cube-shaped containers with a pour spout extending outwardly from one edge thereof. The container is made from two symmetrical halves which are sealed together by heat sealing. Optionally the cube-shaped container is provided with an outer carton. As another option the container may be lined. This container has similar disadvantages as those described above. This container is made of two halves that are sealed together and the seal is subject to cracking. Further, there is nothing suggested in the patents regarding providing a reinforced collar which can support the weight of the container when it is being filled.
Accordingly it would be advantageous to provide a container that is made of one piece of material. Further it would be advantageous to provide a container that has a collar which can support the weight of the container during filling made from the same material at the same time.
A blow-molded container has a container portion, an integrally molded pour spout, an integrally molded shoulder portion and an integrally molded collar. The integrally molded pour spout extends outwardly from the container and has an open end portion and an axial direction. The integrally molded shoulder portion extends outwardly in the axial direction and inwardly in the lateral direction from the container portion to the pour spout. The integrally molded collar extends laterally from the pour spout and is spaced from the container portion and the lateral dimension of the molded collar is generally equal to the lateral dimension of the shoulder portion. Preferably the collar is reinforced so that reinforced collar can hold the weight of the container during an automated filling process.
Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.